Normal
by chickenwriter
Summary: Joseph and Clarisse navigate their secretive relationship; in plain sight. 100% the steamiest story you have ever gotten from me! Reviews are love :)
1. Normal

"Oh, god, Joseph…" Clarisse whispered, embarrassed, as she felt him kiss her neck and place his arm around her waist. He grinned against her skin and slowly pulled away, looking at her as she gritted her teeth: "not here!"

"Sorry, I couldn't help myself" he winked and let go of her hand as they rounded the corner into the busy square. She frowned, mostly because she did want him to continue.

"No one knows yet! We have to be careful!" She admonished him, looking around to see who was listening. People were becoming more accustomed to seeing the queen about the town since the king had passed away. They hardly even noticed her anymore, but she knew they were always watching. She walked around as if she were any resident of the area. She moved in and out of the shops – picking out her own clothes and making her own choices made her feel normal. Joseph was never far away from her, as he was her head of security, and completely in love with her. She loved him, too, but this degree of normal was the scariest thing she could encounter in her life.

"Yes, your majesty." He went immediately stone faced and made sure to be one step behind her. She couldn't help but giggle at his over-dramatic reaction.

"Anyway," she let her laugh fade into a smile, "I must look for a dress for Amelia's party. I know Louis said he was making me one, but I need some inspiration to tell him what I want. I can't really decide on a color. She's wearing red, so that's no longer an option."

"I have a few suggestions of what I'd like him to make…" He growled close to her ear. Clarisse shot him a warning glare. He looked down like a scolded puppy, and fell into stride with her.

"Will you please keep yourself together?" She said with pursed lips. Her palms were becoming warm.

"It's very hard, your majesty, as you are so beautiful, and I want nothing more but to kiss you right now, in the middle of the street." He was whispering to her now, his warm breath on the back of her neck. Her hair stood on end.

He guided her into a store and snuck his hand onto the small of her back. She melted at his touch.

Though they had been waiting many years, Clarisse asked Joseph if their relationship could begin slowly. He reluctantly agreed, understanding that this familiarity that he suggested had never been a part of her life. As a consequence of their agreed-upon "slow" relationship, she hadn't yet invited him into her bed. Of course there were many long sessions of kisses and lost jackets, undone buttons and hands under blouses; but Joseph was beginning to get very impatient, and wasn't exactly secretive about it. She didn't mind that he shared this with her. She was completely confident that he would respect her, and wait as long as necessary. Plus, his impatience amused her, and never failed to quicken her heartbeat.

She relished in the fact that he wanted her so badly. She couldn't believe that a man wanted to make love to her, at her age. She had only been with Rupert, and truthfully wasn't sure she knew how to be with Joseph. She knew that, when they did finally cross that line, everything would make sense. Everything always made sense with Joseph.

She thanked him every day for being patient with her. After every rendezvous late at night in her suite, she apologized for not being ready, and he would kiss her and tell her everything was okay. He told her he would wait forever just to touch her again, when she was fully prepared to take that step. He had no interest in making her uncomfortable.

She was completely aware that he had every interest in getting into her bed as soon as possible. He'd shared that he had not been with anyone for several years, and had never been in a long term relationship, because no one was Clarisse – she was whom he had really wanted. She had cried that night, after he left her suite. He hadn't said it, but she knew he loved her more than anyone ever had.

Clarisse looked around at the selection in the store and gasped. Lace and mesh stared at her from every angle. Everything was black, white and red. She could feel the warmth rising from her core. Joseph had ushered her in here with many ideas, she was sure. She was not ready to tell him that she beat him to it; having made her own birthday plans for the end of the month.

"I'm sorry," she said to the attendant, "I believe we have entered the wrong store."

"Oh, your majesty, are you sure? You were just here last week! Don't you want to pick up the items you ordered? They have not been claimed yet." The attendant was French, speaking to the queen softly in her native language. Clarisse shook her head and told her, in perfect French, that she would send someone around to get the items later. _Joseph_ _does_ _not_ _understand_ _French_ , she thought.

She was wrong.

Joseph's head was spinning. Could she have possibly ordered something to wear only for him?

"So what did you buy?" he whispered briskly as she hastened out of the store.

"Oh, I didn't, I just told the clerk that she was mistaken."

"Clarisse?" he urged.

"Oui?" She turned away from him, heading to her favorite chocolate shop.

"I speak French."

Her face went pink, her cheeks hot. She thought back to all of the things that he must have heard her say over the years when she thought he couldn't hear her muttering under her breath in her native tongue.

"Why would you hide that from me?"

"Because it's really cute when you speak in French when you think I can't understand, mon ange" He smiled and touched her arm. "Especially when you swear…" She pulled away, pretending to be angry with him, but her arousal was currently too amplified for her to be infuriated.

Eventually, they came to an alley, and she looked at him with heavy, suggestive eyes. Joseph grabbed her hand right in the middle of the street, and pulled her around the corner, past a small café, and into a courtyard that seemed abandoned.

He put his hands on her breasts, and pushed her gently against the wall, and kissed her. His mouth was hot and full on hers.

She kissed back, wrapping her arms around him, her hands running up and down his back. His lips were warming her, and his tongue traveled, exploring her mouth. She moaned as he pressed his hips against her, and she could feel him swelling though his jeans. He nibbled at her bottom lip, a heavy moan escaping his mouth.

"Joseph…" she sighed as he grasped her hips and pulled them forward. She could feel herself reacting to his touch. He couldn't help himself anymore. He wanted to be closer to her. They kissed fervently, their bodies as near as they could be with Clarisse forced up against the brick of the building. He covered her so completely that no one would be able to recognize her body writhing beneath him.

His hands began to wander as he rocked against her, and they came to rest at the bottom of her skirt. He pushed it up, inch by inch, and she gasped, her eyes wild with anticipation or fear, she wasn't even sure. She gasped, unable to see what wasn't right in front of her. He wanted her; she wanted him. It wasn't a debate anymore. She was completely ready to make love to him.

"I love you, Joseph." She whispered while she nodded her consent. His hands moved up and under her skirt, curving around her bottom and lifting her slightly above him. She felt his fingers exploring her, slipping into her slowly, and she leaned into the steady brick of the building, moaning his name.

"I love you, Clarisse." He said aloud, pushing his fingers into her fully. She whimpered at the fullness she felt for the first time in ages. He moved his fingers, stroking her, building up the tension in her body. She tightened, digging her fingers into his back, under his jacket. She moved with him, feeling everything he was doing to her with powerful detail. She moved her hands to the bottom of his shirt, pulling it out from his pants, slipping her hands into his shirt in order to be nearer to him. Her fingers raked up and down his spine.

After a few minutes, she pushed his hand down, found the ground with her feet, and placed her hands on his shoulders. He pulled his hand away, stroking her inner thigh as he slipped out of her.

"I'm sorry. I can't finish this. Not here." She pulled down her skirt, feeling the wetness of her panties. Joseph kissed her forehead, an apology. He was so thrilled to have been able to touch her, to finally have been inside her like he had always wanted to be. She was soft, warm. Her face was flushed with the glow of her awakening. It didn't matter to him that they didn't finish what they started; she had opened that door, finally.

"Clarisse, it's all right. This isn't the place, my love. I'm sorry I even started it." She handed him a tissue from her purse, and he wiped his hands on it. He leaned in to kiss her, and she pulled away and grinned.

"Are…you…okay?" She looked down at his pants, and raised her eyebrows. He chuckled, surprised that she had even mentioned his swollen erection, as she usually tried to ignore it.

"Yes, yes, I'll be fine, my darling." He kissed her gently, stroking her cheek, sincere, but still slightly disappointed that their tryst had ended.

"Are you….sure?" She moved her hand slowly and firmly down his chest, and over his belt. He shook slightly as her fingers teased across the top of his pants, touching him through the fabric.

"No." He gritted his teeth as he felt her fingers press at him, "not sure. I could use some help, you know." He pushed himself into her hand as she began to pull away.

"Well, I wish I could help you…" she wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Clarisse!" He pouted, moving his head to nip at her ear. "I think you enjoy having this power, love."

"Mmmm…maybe…I do…" she moved her hips against him. He groaned, the pressure was becoming too great, but he didn't want her to feel guilty.

"You are killing me, Madame" he sighed as she began to walk away. He closed his eyes and tried to make his arousal go away. But her scent was on his hands, and her perfume in his clothes. It proved an impossible task.

"Joseph, I did order something for you. I wasn't going to tell you, but it seems the surprise has been spoiled. Perhaps we can go back and retrieve it?"

"Anything you want, my love." His eyes scoped the courtyard, and he saw a woman on her balcony, who gasped and ran inside when he looked up. He suppressed his chuckle, realizing that Clarisse would be mortified if she knew they had been found out by an inhabitant of the courtyard.

Clarisse made it halfway back to the café before Joseph called out to her.

"Yes?" she said, squealing as he grabbed her around her waist and kissed her firmly on the lips.

"Sorry, I just needed one more before we went back to not loving each other." Clarisse looked him in the eyes.

"Joseph." She said seriously. "Don't you EVER think that I don't love you. I have never loved any person the way that I love you. If you consider for one instant that hiding our relationship means that my love for you is concealed, I will declare to the world that…"

He cut her off with a blinding kiss.

"Never." He let her go, reluctantly, and smiled. "I love you, too."


	2. Flashbacks

xOxOxOx

He remembered that she was laughing when he first saw her.

Rupert had made a joke, and Clarisse, with her arm laced through his, laughed openly. When she made eye contact with the new man in the room, she donned her queenly face and pursed her lips. She looked him up and down, surveying the young man that stood before her. She looked as if she seriously doubted his qualifications.

She'd heard that he came from Spain, the country which provided all of the security training for Genovia. She wondered if this boy with tanned skin was really capable of hurting anyone. He looked scrawny and unkempt. But he looked kind. His eyes sparkled when she caught them, and he had a charming smile.

She watched him as she waited for an introduction. Maybe it was the way that he held himself that made her doubt his capabilities. He was incredibly shaken, obviously not used to meeting any person of rank. She decided immediately that he was a staff member she may forget. He was hired to work nights, anyway. She would never see him.

Joseph had never seen the young queen in person, but she insisted on meeting all new staff before they were officially hired in the palace.

The head of security stepped forward. "This is Joseph, your majesties. He will be working the cameras on third shift."

Rupert smiled, and bowed. Clarisse sighed, Rupert was so kind to everyone, and this was the quality that she seeked to gain from her marriage to the king. He was "old money" – born into the monarchy, and so used to having people beneath him. She was the first in her family to make something of herself, and they had pressured her from the day that she was promised to Rupert. They wanted her to adopt an air of coolness toward those who were considered lower than she. She was working on undoing the damage that her middle class parents had done.

Joseph shook as he bowed nervously to the king. He shook harder as the queen reached out her hand. When he touched her, his whole body filled with warmth. She looked down at her shoes, uncharacteristically, as his lips touched the back of her hand. Something moved her, suddenly, about this boy who would work the third shift.

"It is an honor and a privilege, your majesties." He spoke quietly.

Joseph stepped away, never taking his eyes off the young queen. She looked at him with piercing blue eyes, and wondered how she would ever keep her composure with Joseph wandering the palace.

It was 2 years later that he was promoted to security of the royal family, assigned to her majesty during the evening hours within the palace walls. Often, he sat in her suite, completing papers or sitting and staring, waiting to be dismissed. She was safe in her suite, which was why – _though duty to the queen was considered amongst the highest ranking security positions_ – no one wanted this job. Nevertheless, it paid well above what he made on third shift cameras, and was infinitely more entertaining…with a much nicer view.

He worked this job for several years, forging some sort of strange friendship with his charge.

She spoke to him of the mundane duties of the day while she changed in the other room, and drank tea by the fire when Rupert was away.

In his fifth year of work at the palace. She came and sat next to him for the first time, her eyes wide.

He looked at her, afraid to speak unless spoken to.

"I think I am pregnant." She whispered. "And I am so scared, Joseph."

It was her first show of emotion in months. He was slightly taken aback, but nodded.

"Women have been giving birth for many years, your majesty. Forgive me for stepping out of line, but I do believe that you will be okay." He smirked at her. She didn't react. "Clarisse?"

She looked at him, shocked by the use of her first name, stirred by the way that it rolled off his tongue.

"Yes?"

"You're going to have a beautiful, healthy baby. You are a strong woman. You are going to be okay." Joseph turned to her.

She smiled, and grabbed his hand.

"I hope so. Thank you." She whispered. "Joseph…can you…can…would it be all right if you…" Joseph wrapped his arms around her, and she sank into his embrace. He thought he would explode right there on the couch. It wasn't the first time that he had touched her; but it was the first time she had asked him to.

"Your majesty…" he cooed at her, "if his majesty were to walk in…"

She sat up and made eye contact, staring intensely at him. "Then I hope he wouldn't see me do this…" She pressed her lips to his, softly at first, and then with more need. She let h. er hands roam around his body. His mind told him to stop. His body told him to kiss her harder. His mind told him to stop. His body pressed her into the couch. His mind told him to…

"Clarisse!" he hissed, breaking apart. "Stop, your majesty, we can't do this."

"No. You're right. I'm sorry, Joseph. Please. Forgive me. I don't know what I was thinking." She stood, and crossed the room, her nightgown swishing around her ankles.

"Your majesty?" He said softly.

"Hm?" she spun to look at him.

"I'm sure this won't help, but you are incredibly beautiful."

"Not for long, I fear." She placed a hand across her flat belly.

"I don't think anything could happen to make you less beautiful." He spoke plainly to her. "It isn't that I don't want to kiss you, it's…"

"Oh, Joseph. Stop, you'll make it worse." She smiled in spite of herself, joining him on the couch once more. He fought the urge to kiss her again as she took his hand. "I am sorry for my behavior. I trust you won't share my moment of weakness with anyone."

"It was hardly weakness, your majesty." He stood, and waited to be dismissed so he could cool off. She nodded at him, and whispered goodnight.

It was years later that he was promoted to head of security, who held the duty of all security for her majesty, Queen Clarisse. He accompanied her to every event, and saw her every emotion.

It was the year she turned 40 that they kissed for the second time.

Clarisse wanted to learn to cook. She banished everyone from the kitchen between the hours of 1pm-3pm, much to the irritation of the culinary staff, who had to cut and prepare as much of dinner as possible before lunch had even been started.

Of course, the Queen could never be alone, so it was Joseph who had the privilege of tasting all of her culinary creations.

She frustrated easily in the kitchen. She often lamented that she wasn't like a normal wife or mother, she didn't even know her way around a microwave. Joseph snuck in to watch her cook sometimes. And he stifled giggles as she struggled.

On Tuesday afternoon, he heard her swear loudly in French. He ran into the room to find her covered in flour, the bag opened on the floor, the white powder spilling out and gathering in clouds.

He could not stifle his grin.

Clarisse looked at him, mortified.

"Uh, your majesty, I believe you have a little something on your shirt?"

She began to curse wildly. He smiled wider.

"Joseph! How on earth do you find this amusing? Look at this mess! Putain!" As she pronounced the French word, a cloud of flower escaped from her lips. Joseph dissolved into laughter. This was the most unkempt he had ever seen a member of the Royal Family. And Clarisse was the last person he would expect to be covered from head to toe in flour.

"Your majesty, if I may…"

"You may not say anything, Joseph." She spat. "Will you stop laughing at me and help?"

"I can't" he choked out, laughing hysterically. He bent down, picked up a scoop of flour, and blew it in her face.

Her mouth fell open wide. "How. Dare. You?"

"I'm sorry, Clarisse, I just…I couldn't help it…" He took steps back, trying desperately to get away from her angry words…and then he was hit in the head with a mostly empty sack of flour.

"If you are going to laugh at my misfortune, you are coming down with me!" Her voice held the remaining anger, but her mouth turned up at the corners.

"Fine. If that is how you want to play this game…" Joseph picked up scoop after scoop, blowing them and throwing them at the queen. She fought back with equal force, until they were both covered in all 25 pounds of white powder, and neither was sure which way was up in the foggy kitchen.

They giggled, taking in the sight of each other.

"Ah. See, this isn't fair. You are all covered up, and I…" she stepped toward him slowly, holding a handful of flour behind her back. "I…have flour all over my body, and a lot of it…" She moved closer, until she was inches away and reaching for his collar. "Is down my shirt!"

She pulled back his collar, and shoved the handful down his front. He yelped, and reached out to steady himself on her shoulders. She stopped laughing, inches away from him.

"Clarisse…you have a little flour on your nose."

"A little?" She said incredulously, as he reached out to wipe off her nose with the tip of his finger.

He leaned in, whispering close to her lips. "Just a little…"

His breath was hot against her face. She sighed. "Oh…well if it's only…" and their lips met for the second time in 15 years. Joseph kissed her hard, lifting her up onto the counter. The flour was everywhere, but neither of them cared as 15 years of emotion pour out through his touch and into her skin.

"Merde…" She sighed heavily as he kissed her, undoing her top button, as if her were trying to figure out how far the flour had traveled. He traced first with his fingers, and then with his lips, the path that the ingredient had forged on her body. His hands moved under her shirt, and she let him leave white handprints along her spine, and on her breasts and stomach.

He didn't want to speak, afraid that he would lift the magic veil that the dust had spread around them. Instead, he wove more flour into her hair, and listened to the sounds of pleasure coming from her throat.

"Joseph, please. Oh god…" She moaned into him as he pressed against her, trying to get his attention while fighting her need for him and his lovely ministrations, "please, we need to stop."

He backed away from her immediately.

"You're right. Forgive me." He walked out of the room as she called after him. He returned moments later with a broom and a cloth. He walked to the sink, wet the cloth, and brought it to the queen's face, wiping the white particles away and revealing the peach of her skin.

"Thank you," she whispered softly as he took the cloth to her arms and neck. He used his hands to get most of the flour out of her hair, and helped her to beat it out of her clothes.

"You go and shower, your majesty. I'll take care of things down here" his voice was filled with sadness.

"okay." She let the word slip from her lips, and felt tears stinging at her eyes.

She never went back to cooking.

 _A/N: I would love some reviews if you liked the story! Let me know what you would like to see happen next, I just might put it in there_


	3. The Countdown

"3 days…" he whispered into her ear as she shifted through the paperwork on her desk. She closed her eyes briefly, trying to ignore him. Her ladies maids stood by, Charlotte hovered over her, there were guards everywhere…and yet, he could still make her come undone in front of all of these people.

He watched as her legs crossed under the table. It was a rare occurrence, something he knew she only did when she was ruffled. He inhaled, looking at her intently.

"Is there something you needed, Joseph?" her voiced carried a warning.

"No, your majesty. I'll go and work on my paperwork, if you'd like?" he said.

"No, I need to speak to you about the ball on Sunday. That'll be all, Charlotte. Feel free to take your lunch." Clarisse smiled at her assistant.

"Yes, your majesty." Charlotte curtsied slightly and left the room, waving the ladies maids with her. The maids bowed and scampered off behind Charlotte.

"Happy birthday, Clarisse…" he whispered, handing her a small box.

"As you reminded me, there are 3 days still until my birthday…but thank you," she smiled at him, her eyes crinkling at the corners with pure happiness. She opened the box, and found within it a necklace.

The necklace was a simple gold chain, and on it was a small, round shadow frame. Inside the frame was a white powder that looked like snow.

She looked at it for a moment until something clicked in her mind.

"Flour." She whispered inaudibly. "You remember?"

Joseph grinned. "Only every day of my life. That was the day that I was certain I loved you."

"Oh…" she held it to her chest as she stood from her desk. "Joseph…it's perfect."

"Not as perfect as my darling queen of Genovia. I still envision you covered in flour and swearing in French." He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her nose.

"I'd rather you refrained from imagining me like that." She quipped, pressing her lips to his.

"Maybe we should do some baking to celebrate your birthday?" he asked, raising his eye brows. She swatted at him, and he stepped back. "I did not mean it like that! Ah, the queen has a filthy mind…"

"No… I…I…" she stuttered as he lifted her and sat her on the desk, just like he had when they were covered in flour 20 years ago.

He kissed her as she softened and sighed into his mouth. "Paperwork…I need…" she sighed again, giving up to his attentions and letting him lay her down over her work instead.

"2 days…" he entered the room smiling. Clarisse jolted awake.

"Joseph? What are you doing here?" she sat up, pulling the covers around her body. She felt the weight of her robe hitting the bed, and saw Joseph turn away. She crawled out of bed, put on the robe, and walked over to him.

"Nice to see you, as well, my love." He joked, pulling out a bouquet of flowers from behind his back, and motioning for Clarisse to follow him as he went to the other room.

"Well, I'm sorry! I hadn't expected company this early in the morning."

She gasped when she entered her sitting room. There were flowers everywhere, and a breakfast tray had been set up on the balcony.

"Oh…you…" she leaned to her head of security and kissed him hard on the lips. "Let me get dressed!"

She took off before he could respond, returning in a light blue cotton sundress, no bra and bare legs.

" _Joder…" he swore under his breath._

 _"Pardon?" she asked, walking past him and on to the balcony._

 _"You are exquisite, my queen." He said as he followed her. A blush covered her body, turning her cheeks pink._

 _"Shall we?" she motioned to the spread in front of them._

 _The breakfast consisted of small talk and awkward remarks. They ate quietly and uncharacteristically, until Clarisse spoke: "What is it, Joseph?"_

 _"I can't stop looking at you. You make it impossible to breathe, let alone to talk."_

 _"Oh, tosh." She looked down at her food._

 _"I'm serious. You are so beautiful."_

 _"Joseph, don't be silly. I'm not wearing any make-up, my hair is unkempt…" She didn't notice that he had made his way to her side of the table until he reached out his hand._

 _"Dance with me?" he said, motioning to the speaker he had placed on the balcony. She stood and took his hand, watching him start the music._

 _He quickly led her into the steps of the dance, using every opportunity to pull her close and inhale her scent._

 _They danced for three songs, and when the music stopped, he pushed her against the wall of the castle._

 _She gasped, but returned his passion with equal fervor. They kissed and pawed at each other like teenagers._

 _When they had their fill, Clarisse looked into his eyes, panting._

 _"Well, that was quite the wake-up call."_

 _"I love you." He choked out, smoothing back her hair as he tried to catch his breath._

 _"It's tomorrow…" he said softly, holding her hand underneath the stars._

 _"Joseph…" she began, taking her hand from his._

 _"Clarisse, I know, my love. I'm excited for your birthday! Whatever else happens, happens. It's your day, and you make the choices."_

 _"Thank you." She sighed, taking his hand in hers again. "It's a lot of pressure, you know."_

 _"What is?"_

 _"What if I'm not everything that you have dreamed? You've been waiting for such a long time for this, Joseph. And I'm the fool who set a date to it, and planned everything out."_

 _"Clarisse…"_

 _"How abnormal could I possibly be? I have this image in my head of everything going so smoothly, and that may not be the case. Anything could happen when we finally are together like that."_

 _"Clarisse…" he tried to stop her from babbling on._

 _"You have such high expectations, I'm sure. You've been counting down for weeks, now. And what if something happens and we can't? What if I get scared and can't…Do we wait another…"_

 _Joseph placed his hand flat over her mouth._

 _"Clarisse. Shut up."_

 _She reared back, ready to strike, and then softened._

 _"Oh, I'm sorry, you're right."_

 _"Ah, there we go. Much better." He grinned at her, and she rolled her eyes. "Now that was not very royal of you."_

 _"There are many things that are going through my head right now that are not royal."_

 _"Like?"_

 _"Like how desperately I would like to lay in the grass next to you."_

 _"Done." She giggled as he sank to the ground and pulled her down with him. "What next?"_

 _"Hmm…I would like to have a cuddle."_

 _He wrapped his strong arms around her, and she lay her head on his chest._

 _"And?"_

 _"I want you to kiss me."_

 _"Much obliged, my queen."_

 _"I wish we were normal." She whispered as he broke the kiss._

 _He was about to ask her what she meant, but he knew. She wished that all of the years they had spent in the same room could have been more meaningful. She wished they had built a life together, out of the shadows. She wished that he had been the father of her children, and that these years were those in which they grew old together after 40 years of marriage. And he wished all of those things as well._

 _"Happy birthday, my love." He kissed her on the grass as the clock struck midnight._

 _"Thank you. I'm so glad we get to spend it together."_

 _"Me, too. More than you know." He kissed her again, and grasped her hand between them. "We should probably go. I'm sure we look awfully suspicious down here."_

 _"Let them talk. I'm done giving up time with you for appearance's sake." She nestled into his chest, and he stroked her hair softly._

 _"Music to my ears, Clarisse." He tightened his grasp, resting his lips against her forehead. She sighed happily._


	4. The End of the Party

He held her hand on the way back to her suite. They had left the party early, at Clarisse's request. When they reached the door, he turned to her.

"I can still wait, my love." Joseph whispered to her. The last thing he ever wanted to do was to be an expectation to her, something that she promised and felt a duty to fulfill. "If you would rather I leave, or we cuddle on the couch, that is exactly what we will do."

"No. Joseph. You are getting into my bed tonight and that is absolutely final."

He chuckled, touching her cheek.

"And how much have you had to drink, my queen?"

She swallowed hard.

"Not nearly enough."

"Clarisse..." He began his lecture she had heard several times before - about how he couldn't stand to take advantage of her if she had been drinking. If she had had what he dubbed as too much to drink, he would leave her under her quilt on the couch and check back in the morning with a couple of aspirin and a glass of water.

"Two glasses of champagne, Joseph. Not nearly as much as the winter dinner." She winked and laced her fingers with his.

"So are you sure you are ready?" He tried to hide his excitement, but after many years of dreaming of being with her, Joseph could hardly wait to finally make love to her as she deserved to be loved.

"Yes. I love you, and this night is my present to you...and to me"

"Okay," he smiled and told her to close her eyes. She looked puzzled.

"Why would I...?" He frowned at her protest and she decided to play along. He opened the door slowly, leading her inside.

She opened her eyes on his command, to find the room decorated with thousands of daisies.

"Oh...Joseph..." Clarisse was breathless. Her favorite flowers were potted, vased and scattered all across the suite.

"Happy birthday, love of my life."

She let him envelope her in a hug, and kissed him softly as he let her go.

"I love you so much, Joseph. Thank you for this. And thank you for being so understanding all of these years."

"And I love you, my queen, you are worth the wait. Even if tonight does not work out, I hope you loved the surprise."

"Now wait for me a moment longer. Because it is my turn to surprise you."

Joseph grinned uncontrollably as Clarisse leaned in to kiss him.

He could hear her shuffling around, and the occasional huff or muttered swear word.

He tried to busy himself, shuffling around books and papers, moving to look out the window. Fixing his appearance in the mirror, he heard he clear her throat. Joseph had to pick his jaw up off the floor.

He started at her feet, and took in the lace thigh highs, followed by the garter belt, and the delicious lace bra. A mesh coat was wrapped around her. Everything was black lace, hugging her curves and begging to be stripped off.

Which was exactly what Clarisse had in mind for the evening's activities.

"Merde." He whispered, feeling his arousal growing at the sight of the queen in lingerie that she had chosen just for his viewing pleasure.

"C'est bon?" She asked, grinning nervously.

"C'est parfait" he whispered, coming toward her.

"No! Not yet. Sit down." She commanded, pointing to the couch.

"Oui Madame." He sat quickly, and watched her move across the room, her body silhouetted by the light from the window. As she walked by, he smelled her Chanel perfume. He could not inhale that sent without all of the memories of his stolen moments coming back in a rush of love.

Her jacket came off first, slowly, revealing one shoulder to him, and then her perfect back. She ran her own hands over her skin, mimicking exactly the way Joseph wanted to touch her.

She walked slowly and gracefully toward him, kneeling in front of him and reaching for his buttons on his shirt. He reached out to touch her again, and she backed away. Instantly afraid that she had changed her mind, he sank in his seat.

"Not yet. It's my turn."

Logically, a few more moments without touching her (after so many years) should not have made him this crazy. However, these moments made his skin burn more than anything ever had. Every touch made him want her more.

Clarisse finished with the buttons, and shrugged his shirt off his shoulders, revealing his abdomen and raking her nails across it, following with a trail of kisses down his sternum, resting at the waist of his pants.

She smiled as she reached for his belt, undoing it and pulling it through the loops.

He sucked in a breath and looked wide eyed at her, and she smiled, undoing the button on his pants and motioned for him to help her remove them. He never thought that he would be looking at her from this angle, fighting the urge to push her up against the wall and take her right then and there.

He felt oddly exposed, sitting in her suite, his pants and shirt discarded onto the floor. He reached to pull her up to him and she shook her head, instead kissing a line from his belly button down over his boxers.

He groaned as her lips met the fabric separating his hardened arousal from her mouth. She teased through the tented fabric with her hands and her tongue, and he began to moan louder, running his hands over her hair.

Suddenly she stopped, stood up and motioned for Joseph to follow her. He obeyed without question, and she led him to her bed. Finally he was able to put his hands on her as they stood in her bedroom.

"God, woman. You will kill me"

"I hope not," she smiled and pulled him in for a passionate kiss, feeling his fingers on her waist, pulling her closer. He pushed her down onto the bed and covered her lace clad body, putting his weight on her. She yelped as she made contact with the bed, and started to laugh.

"What's so funny?"

"I'm sorry, this is so absurd. You're so serious, and I just realized we didn't need to be."

"What?" Joseph looked at her, looking more confused than she had ever seen him.

"I just…I love you so much. I am more comfortable with you than anyone in the world, living or deceased. I never would have bought lingerie to parade for Rupert. You're so wonderful, and I've done to this night exactly what I always do. I made it some sort of planned activity. A necessary item on my to do list – and I'll I wanted to do was to love you, and let you in."

"I love you, too, Clarisse. Now, may I continue?"

"You have nothing to say to that?"

"Not a damn thing, woman." He grinned at her and pulled her up from her laying position, capturing her mouth in a kiss. "Is this okay?" He asked, moving to kiss her neck.

"Perfect" she choked back her laughter as he latched on to her, nibbling and sucking at the sensitive skin under her ear. "But take those off." He smirked and took off his boxers, and she moved her knee against him.

He pulled her legs so they were hanging off the bed, and he stepped down.

He moved against her, reaching down to unclip the knee highs and roll them down, kissing the skin as it became exposed.

"Oh..." She moaned as his lips touched her inner thigh. He moved up to be face to face with her again, kissing her lips as he unclasped the bra.

Her breasts were pressed against his skin, his hands were in her hair, her lips were on his and Joseph had officially lost the ability to think straight. He put his hands behind her knees and pulled her to the edge of the bed. Kneeling just as she had, he shimmied off her garter belt, and placed kisses along her inner thigh until he reached her center. She gasped as she felt his tongue seeking and exploring. Her hips rose to push her closer to his mouth. She could feel herself tightening quickly and intensely.

Long legs wrapped around his shoulders as he heard her moan his name in several short breaths.

"Oh god..." She groaned as he pressed to make her lower her hips. "It's been so long...come here..." She pulled him up to her and kissed him hard on the mouth, realizing that the taste on her tongue was her own.

Joseph felt her hand reach down to grasp him. He helped her to place her legs back on the bed as they traveled to place her head on the pillow.

She let him go and nestled herself under the covers, motioning for him to join.

He lay on top of her, their naked bodies covered by the quilt. She reached down to grasp him once again and parted her legs, guiding him to her entrance. She winced, and he stopped. She shook her head.

"I'm okay. Go ahead, my love"

He kissed her, and their hands explored as he slipped into her, joining their bodies for the first time.


	5. The Morning After

Joseph sat in the kitchen, turning his pocket knife around in his hand. Eggs and toast lay untouched on the table. It was chilly this morning, and his short sleeved undershirt was not adequate for the temperature, but that wasn't what he was thinking about.

He dropped his knife, swore, picked it up again and flicked open and shut for what seemed like ages.

"Will you please just tell me what is wrong?" She spat, leaning across the table. "You are being ridiculous."

His eyes met hers.

"No." He said simply and went back to flicking his knife.

"Joe. You need to talk to someone." Charlotte said softly, putting her hand reassuringly on his, steadying the knife on the table. "I've never seen you like this. At least consider taking the day off?"

He grunted and she removed her hand, and left him alone in the kitchen.

xOx

Clarisse awoke, expecting a warm body next to her. Instead she found cold sheets, and she sighed loudly.

She wouldn't ring the bell yet to tell everyone she was awake.

She needed this time to think about what had happened.

She needed this time to gather herself before facing the world.

She needed this time to gather herself before facing him.

It wasn't his day off. He would be working, one step behind her all day.

How could she have made such a mistake?

xOx

Joseph made the call to Shades, taking a personal day for the first time since his employment at the palace. Shades reluctantly agreed to be in charge for the day, but he did not like the tension in the air.

The head of security couldn't face her – out of embarrassment or anger, he wasn't sure.

Yet, all he wanted was to hold her in his arms again. He wanted to feel her warmth, but all he had felt after they made love was cold.

Had they ruined it?

He buried his head in his hands at the table, elbowing his eggs aside as heard the bell ring – she was awake.

xOx

She hoped he was thinking of her. Her body was sore from last night's activities; but her mind ached more than any muscle could.

She wiped a tear out of her eye and rose from the bed, smoothing her hair back and moving into the window seat. Her arms were wrapped around her legs, serving her in warmth and in comfort. Never had Clarisse felt like a pitiful child more than in this moment.

"Good morning, your majesty."

The ladies maids curtsied and began their morning routine. Tea was brought in, breakfast shortly after, clothes were hung on the bathroom door and…

"Priscilla, would you be a dear and draw me a bath this morning?" Clarisse looked at her sadly.

"Yes, your majesty." She curtsied, stopped what she was doing and exited into the bathroom.

Olivia hovered by the door in order to catch Charlotte when she entered.

"Something is very wrong." She hissed, her voice low.

"I knew there would be…" Charlotte sighed. "I saw Joseph downstairs. He is a mess."

"He was in here last night, until about 4am. No one is sure of what happened, maybe she fired him."

"Of course not, Olivia." Charlotte cleared her throat. "He would have left if that were the case."

"Ladies, if you wouldn't mind, I'm ready to begin our meeting?" Clarisse called into the room, donning her queenly voice.

"Yes, your majesty!" Charlotte and Olivia exchanged a glance, and met up with the queen.

The morning was when Charlotte gave her an update of her schedule, and Olivia took note of where she would be needed to serve tea or prepare outfit changes.

Priscilla preferred to finish the morning chores, and be filled in later.

"Your meeting with the Prime Minister has been canceled this morning, so you are free until 10am, your majesty. After that, you'll be having tea with 3 of the members of parliament. Each will take 30 minutes, and they are, unfortunately, in succession. I apologize about that, ma'am. I've left 10 minutes between each, so…" Charlotte continued to prattle on, until Clarisse dismissed her and the maids in order to take some time in the bath to herself.

When she lowered her body into the warm, foamy water, she broke down and cried harder than she had in months.

xOx

Joseph looked at his watch. He'd been sitting in the kitchen, stone-faced for 3 hours and 23 minutes. He sighed, rising from the chair and dumping his cold coffee down the sink. The cooks had been preparing around him, and they knew by the look on his face that he hadn't arrived for a chat.

He tried desperately to think of a way to avoid her without leaving the palace. It was over 30 minutes to get into town, and anything in between was fields; he did not feel like leaving or driving.

Leaning against the wall, he closed his eyes and thought of his queen. He thought of her smile and the corners of her eyes. He thought of her graceful movements as she danced. Most of all, he thought of her body twisting beneath his. A grin crept across his face. If nothing else, he had finally made love to the only woman he had wanted since he was a young man. Of course it was worth the wait – but was it worth the aftermath?

He wondered why their bodies becoming one had changed everything. They had certainly done everything else before last night. It should not have made a difference.

The last thing he saw before he left her suite was her face bathed in moonlight. Her arm was draped across the bed as if reaching for him. He looked at her for a minute, and then took his leave.

xOx

Waking up without him was one of the worst surprises Clarisse had ever received; yet, she knew why he left.

She'd thought that the miscommunication was cleared up by the time that she fell asleep, wrapped in his arms.

"It's all my fault." She whispered aloud to no one. She sighed heavily and began to towel herself off, seeing the lingerie poking out of her laundry. Her eyes widened as she realized that the maids must have moved it into the basket. "Fucking perfect." She said sharply, blinking away the tears that threatened to fall again.

Maurice scratched at the bathroom door. She let him in and smiled for the first time that morning.

"Hello, Maurice." The queen scratched behind his ears as he licked her hand. "Thank goodness for you."

xOx

When he was angry at himself, he did push-ups by the hundreds. When he was angry at someone else, he did pull-ups.

Today he went for a run. Anger was not on the agenda, so immense sadness took its place.

He tried to pound out the weight on his shoulders onto the pavement.

His mind wandered as he ran. Would she see him going by the palace? Would she be staring out the window listlessly?

"Probably not." He whispered aloud. After all, she was the queen. She had better things to do.

xOx

"Charlotte. Send my apologies for this afternoon. I'm not feeling well, and I don't wish to see anyone."

"Anyone, your majesty?" The assistant raised her eyebrows.

"Yes, Charlotte, please take the rest of the afternoon and evening to do what you see fit. Have Olivia bring up dinner at 6 o'clock. I'll have some tea in my room as well."

"And the conference this evening, your majesty?" Charlotte knew the queen was hurting, but she looked forward to her impending free evening.

"Please do your best to reschedule. I apologize, Charlotte. This is a lot of work for you, isn't it?"

"Not at all, ma'am. I am happy to do it." Charlotte lowered her eyes. "Are you okay, your majesty?"

"Thank you, Charlotte. You've always been so kind to me." This was said earnestly, but used as a tactic to avoid speaking. Charlotte bowed and exited the room, going straight to the room of the head of security.

xOx

Joseph opened the door, sans his shirt. He was just about to step into the shower when a frantic knock made him jump.

"Yes?" he said dryly when he saw Charlotte.

"Joe. You have to go fix her. Whatever happened, you need to go to her and repair it." He was surprised to see that the assistant was tearing up.

"Come in." He ordered, pointing to the chair in the entry way. "Sit."

Charlotte wiped her eyes, trying to avoid talking about her own tears.

"Joe, you should see her. She took the whole afternoon and evening off. She canceled 5 meetings. That isn't like her at all."

"It isn't that easy. And how do you even know this has to do with me?" Joseph was sitting next to her, his fists crumpled up.

"The maids know everything." Charlotte choked out.

"Ah. Great. I'm sure that makes her incredibly happy."

Joseph thought back to the lingerie on the floor, his fingers in her hair, her legs wrapped around him…

"You slept together, didn't you?!" Charlotte whispered awkwardly. Joseph nodded.

"It did not end how I expected."

"What do you mean?" Charlotte asked. Joseph began to tell her everything. Charlotte and Joe had always maintained a very open friendship. They told each other everything.

"I thought it would open her up. It only shut her down again."

xOx

Eyes met across the room.

"Your majesty."

Joseph broke the silence with words that broke her heart.

"Joseph."

They acknowledged each other with formal greetings. He bowed slightly and started to walk away. "Wait, please. Don't leave me again."

"I have a lot of things to do today, your majesty, my duty as your head of security is to keep you safe, which requires me to..."

He stopped as he saw a tear travel down her cheek. She didn't bother to wipe it away, and instead let it fall down her neck. "I see." He said softly. "I'm sorry, your majesty. If you will excuse me."

"No, Joseph...let me explain."

"Explain what, Clarisse?"

"I..." hot tears sped down her cheeks, falling into her shirt as she willed them to stop.

"What do you have to say to me that hasn't already been said? I'm not appropriate for you. You're the queen, for fuck's sake. I don't belong here."

"Oh, tosh! Of course you belong here!" she yelled and stared at him, her mouth slightly agape.

"You know what I mean." He paused for a few moments, and met her eyes again. "I don't belong with you."

Clarisse shut her mouth, sat down on the window ledge behind her and buried her face in her hands.

He stood in the middle of the room, watching her body shudder with her muffled sobs. They stayed like that for several minutes.

"I'm sorry, I've been weepy all day. I cancelled everything because I can't stop crying. Does that say to you that I don't care?"

"I never said that you didn't care. It's a question of your priorities."

"My priorities? Are you joking, Joseph?"

"What else would you call this? And don't say your duty, because I swear I will walk out that door if you do."

"This isn't fair."

"Of course it isn't. It never is, is it?"

"You knew who I was when you first kissed me, Joseph." She spat, crossing her arms.

"Yeah, I did. Which is why I tried to stop it before…"

"Before?"

"Before I fell in love with the Queen of Genovia, and before I bought this." Joseph pulled a ring from his pocket.

"Joseph…"

"Don't start, Clarisse. I know that your answer will be…has to be…'no'" he blinked back tears from his own eyes as he watched her stand up.

Like a teenager reuniting with her first love after a summer apart, she ran to him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I have never been so sorry in my entire life." She whispered in his ear.

"Me either." He said back, embracing her lightly. Forgiveness was beginning to seep into his bones.


	6. Moving On

"I don't want to start this up again, but I have to know." Joseph was standing a few inches away from Clarisse, out of arms reach. "What exactly are you sorry about?"

"Oh…" Clarisse looked down at the tiled floor. "I'm sorry that I'm not normal. Without all of this," she gestured wildly around the room, "I would stand up in front of our friends and our family and I would promise – publically – to love you for the rest of our lives. I would move out to the country with you, adopt a few dogs, take hikes along the rivers, and plant a garden. We'd have dinner on the patio and make love until we were both exhausted and more in love than ever before. I've thought about this; about us – how we would be different if I were normal."

"But, you're not normal." He said softly.

"No. Unfortunately, I am not." Clarisse stepped toward him in her graceful way, a slight smile creeping across her face. "But would we have met, dear Joseph, if I were?"

Joseph contemplated this for a moment, and moved over to the window seat, inviting her to sit.

"Yes, Clarisse, I believe we would have." His tone was wistful, as if he were about to begin a long story about 'old times' or the 'good days.'

"Oh?" She said, gingerly reaching for his hand. She worried that he would pull away, but his fingers interlaced with hers, and she softened immediately. It felt so good to touch him as if everything hadn't gone awry.

"Yes. I think I would have fallen in love with you, even if you were not the most powerful woman in the country." Joseph smiled. "I think we would have met somewhere in Spain."

"Go on," she urged.

"I would have been working in a shop, and you would have been a tourist. I think we would have met much earlier. And you, would not have been married."

"Why not?" she huffed.

"Because you are far too picky to have taken a husband that was not assigned to you, at least at the age when we would have met."

Clarisse scoffed, and he chuckled.

"What would we have done, then?" Clarisse was expecting him to spin a long story about their fictional lives. It would not have been the first of his stories to get out of control.

Once, he kept her captive for hours talking about how the garden fairies come to life in her rose garden.

"You would have said hello, and I would have proposed to you right there in the middle of the shop, and you would have said yes. And then we would have made love on the beach."

"Oh…" she smiled and swatted at him. "That never would have happened. But I think you are right, we would have met somewhere."

"Clarisse," his tone changed, "I do love you. And I'm not upset with you anymore, but our situation will never stop hurting."

"I know." She placed a hand on his cheek. "I wish that it wasn't so painful. I hate hurting you."

"When you told me I should leave before morning, I understood." Joseph squeezed her hand. "But it pains me to hide my love for you. I want to scream out to everyone how much I adore the queen of Genovia, but my social status prevents me from doing that."

"All I am asking is that you scream it to me, and not to the press. I am not ashamed of you, Joseph. I could be with the most "suitable" man for a queen, but I don't want to be. I want you. Please understand that we must not draw attention to the royal family at this time. Everything is finally calming after Phillippe and Mia, and even Rupert…I couldn't take another round of damage control, especially as it pertains to my love for you. I fear it would only damage us, Joseph. Try to understand."

"I do understand. I just don't like it."

She looked around to see who was watching, and then settled into his arms. He kissed her head softly.

Though they were both hurting, they knew that they were better together than apart.

xOx

Their relationship had been incredibly tense since their fight. Joseph and Clarisse were spending time together, but much of it was during daily activities. He would brief her on security matters, and she would approve of whatever he said. It was a formality to run plans by the monarch, but Joseph had never heard her say no in all of his years of service to the royal family. It was obvious that she trusted him with her life, and he waited for the day when she would trust him with her love.

Joseph was afraid to get too close again, wanting to wait until she was surer of herself. He didn't want to push the matter of advancing their relationship, so he kept his distance. They were not cold, but neither went out of their way to be warm in the weeks following the argument.

Clarisse was busy, and afraid to spend too much time trying to convince Joseph that everything was going to be okay. She wanted so desperately to be with him – but she told herself that duty must be the priority at this time in her life. Being queen was much more than just being a figurehead – at least in Genovia.

The country took the monarch very seriously, and allowed her the freedom to make many choices for their land. So she busied herself with the matters of the nation and pushed her love for Joseph down deeper into her heart.

Moments alone were few and far between, but she knew that at least one evening a week needed to be dedicated to enjoying the company of her head of security.

Joseph had never once turned down an invitation from the queen, especially as he grew more and more worried about the state of things.

Clarisse smiled at Joseph as he sat across from her in her suite. He was sipping at an evening coffee, and she relished in the scent wafting toward her, mingling with her tea.

Joseph spoke: "Penny for your thoughts, your majesty?"

"May I have it?" She asked quietly.

"Have what?" Joseph replied, looking over at her.

She sat back and looked him in the eyes.

"The ring." His eyes widened, and he coughed, setting down his cup.

"Are you saying yes?" s

"I'm not saying no."

"What do you mean?" She saw him fingering for something in his pocket.

"I'm saying 'not now.' I know it isn't ideal, but…"

She gasped when he opened the box and kneeled in front of her.

"Someday, Queen Clarisse Renaldi, when everything is right in the world, will you be my wife?"

She smiled broadly.

"Of course, Joseph." She joined him on the floor. "Only if we are able to get up after this…"

He laughed, capturing her mouth in a passionate kiss.

"You had that with you?"

"I've been carrying it with me every day since I bought it."

"Oh…" She kissed him again. "It's so beautiful…" she touched it gingerly, pursing her lips.

"I wish you could wear it, my love. But it's yours. I only have one request."

"Yes?"

"Let me put it on – when you are ready? I have dreamed of that moment for many years."

"Of course, Joseph." She put a hand on his shoulder to help her up, and reached out her hand to help him up. He took it and smiled. "I have an idea."

Clarisse disappeared into her closet, and Joseph could hear her rummaging in drawers. Finally she emerged with a gold chain, on the end of which was her gift from Joseph for her birthday. She opened the clasp, and slipped the engagement ring on it. With the open necklace, she turned and gestured to Joseph to help her.

He moved aside the collar of her dress, took each end of the necklace in his hands, and took his time clasping it together. When he was done, he leaned close to her, and whispered in her ear.

"Trop belle, mon ange."

She shivered whenever he spoke French to her. To have him speak it right into her ear drove her crazy. His breath was warm on her neck.

"Joseph…" She sighed as his hands wrapped around her waist, pulling her close.

It suddenly struck her that they hadn't made love in three weeks, since her birthday. She knew they had both been afraid to take that step again, fearful of how it would end. Her hand found his resting on her stomach. Fingers interlaced, she leaned into him as he kissed her neck, moving up to nibble on her ear. She closed her eyes, savoring his attentions.

"Clarisse, I can stop now, if you want me to." Joseph said huskily in her ear.

"No, please don't." Joseph took this as an invitation to spin her around in his arms and kiss her full on the lips.

"I've missed you."

"I know. I'm sorry, my love."

"It isn't your fault," Joseph ran his hands over her shoulders and down her arms.

"It is, a little. I've been distancing myself from you."

"We should both stop doing that, I guess"

"Yes please. Let's." She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him hard, pulling him against her. When she separated from him, she whispered. "Take me to bed, Joseph."

"Gladly, my queen." Joseph lifted her off the ground, and she giggled and shrieked as he adjusted her in his arms.

"What are you doing? You are incredibly impractical." She shook her head as he leaned in to kiss her lips while holding her bridal style.

"I was trying to be romantic!" he said defensively.

"Put me down, Sir Joseph." She was laughing as her feet found the floor. Her hand extended for his, and she dragged him into her bedroom, hoping that she would find him there in the morning.


	7. The Morning After (2)

In the morning she lay in his arms, wearing nothing but the necklace with the flour and the ring around her neck. Raising the pendants to her lips, she kissed them. His leg was in the middle of hers, sheets tangled around them. His arm draped over her gently, his hand resting on her breast. She could feel him up against her bare back.

She'd never woken with a man like this, and certainly had never woken like this with a man to whom she was not married.

But, for all intents and purposes, she was an engaged woman for the first time in over 40 years.

The first time and only time she was promised to a man had been Rupert. She was too young to remember their first meeting, but now she thought it strange that their first meeting had been when she was only 6 years old. He had been 17, and she wondered how he could have married her after she was basically his kid sister for 10 years. They met on holidays, and Clarisse was fully aware that she was going to marry him and become queen – she just wasn't sure what that meant.

No one had warned her about what would happen when they consummated their marriage, and though she knew it was her duty, she had stolen away from him and cried for hours afterward, making sure he never knew. Passion and love were not a part of Rupert's style. He was kind, and tried his best to be attentive, but he was not particularly skilled. She knew he cared, and that he never wanted to hurt her; though she wondered now if that was out of guilt for stealing her innocence on the day she turned 16. Because of this, sex had repulsed her for many years. As she aged, and grew fond of her husband, it became easier to attempt to enjoy. She knew now that her situation would be incredibly frowned upon in most societies. She was so young when she became the princess, and not much older when she became queen.

Now, she was willingly bringing a man into her bed; a man she was one day, hopefully, going to marry. And she wished he could stay there for the rest of their lives. Making love with Joseph was just that – it was an act of love more than it was a physiological response. He touched her one second as if she were made of porcelain, and the next second had her crying out in pleasure. This was how she had wanted to be loved.

 _How could he have known when I did not know myself?_

She sighed as she looked at the time on the grandfather clock.

 _7:15am_

 _In about twenty minutes, Charlotte is going to come looking for me. Priscilla and Olivia have probably already begun in the living room._

She untangled himself from his embrace, kissing his bare shoulder as she shimmied out of bed. She did not want to wake him. Her robe wrapped around her, she peeked into the other room.

"Your majesty!" The maids gasped. They must have expected her to be out of the room by this time, as she did not usually sleep past 6:30. They assumed quiet meant that she was gone.

"No, it's quite alright, would you be so kind as to return in an hour? I'd very much like my breakfast at 8:15, and some privacy until then. Please inform the guards to keep out everyone until that time, including staff." She almost added that in the event of an emergency, they may enter – however, their definition and her definition may not have been alike.

The maids agreed, but not without some confusion. They left while stifling giggles.

Clarisse cursed herself silently for drawing so much attention; though, it would have been worse if the maids had walked in on the queen laying intertwined with the head of security.

Maybe Joseph had been right – she was slightly embarrassed to be with him.

She shook the thought out of her head. She would be embarrassed to be found sleeping in her suite with any man – it wasn't Joseph. She loved him, and wanted to be with him.

She just wished the press hadn't run that article that sparked her anger and caused the fight that could have taken the man she loved from her. Dealing with the press had been a strong suit for Clarisse all of her life, but she couldn't stand them attacking the one thing she had ever wanted.

The article hit the front page. She made sure Joseph never saw it, but she knew that he knew.

It was a photograph of Joseph with his hand on her back, leading her into the lingerie store. The headline read: **Composed queen comes undone for security.** Even Clarisse had to admit that they weren't wrong. That had occurred, and she kicked herself for letting it happen. She was thankful that they had not been in the alley that day.

For once in her life – she had wanted to be bold and dangerous, and Elsie Kentworthy snapped her right back into her duty-driven, dignified place.

Looking around her suite, she finally decided the morning was best suited to soak in the quiet, and private, moment with her paramour.

 _Lover._ She thought, _Oh god, I've taken a lover._

Her thoughts made her chuckle quietly. This (prolonged as it were) tryst with Joseph was possibly the riskiest thing that she had ever done, and it made all her nerves stand on end with possibility.

Her body found the silken sheets, and she rolled gracefully into his embrace again. Strong arms gripped her, snaking around her waist and pulling her close. He inhaled, and followed up with a kiss to the back of her head. He was awake.

"Good morning, my love." Clarisse whispered, touching every inch of skin that enveloped her with featherlike touches. She wanted to feel like she had taken advantage of this time.

Joseph grunted sleepily.

"Not a morning person?" she asked, smiling and settling into his embrace.

 _These are the things that you can find out about him by spending the night in his arms._

He didn't respond, but pulled her in tighter and interlaced his fingers with hers over her stomach. His free hand stroked her bare thigh, his fingers travelling over her sensitive skin. He stroked up and down, feeling how warm her skin was under his touch. His hands came closer and closer to her center with each stroke, and she sighed softly.

"Joseph…" she warned, using her free hand to steady his. "We've only got a few moments. I caught the maids and asked them to give us until 8:15."

"You did?" he tumbled over top of her, switching sides of the bed in order to face her.

"Being impractical again, I see? I could have turned to face you, and avoided the bruise on my thigh."

"That was much more fun." He grinned at her. "Sorry." He sank down under the covers to kiss the spot that she had indicated.

"Sometimes you act remarkably like an adolescent, Joseph."

"You bring out the best in me, your majesty." He continued to grin as he ran his hands over her breasts.

She exhaled loudly, half out of frustration and half out of pleasure.

"To answer your question, yes I did. I wanted more time with you."

"Thank you." He said softly and earnestly. She kissed him softly.

"Do you think 30 minutes is enough time for us this morning?" She purred.

"There will never be enough time to spend with you my love." He said, placing his hand on her cheek.

"That isn't what I meant." Joseph perked up.

"Oh, well in that case…" he cupped her bottom and moved her hips to be flush with his, grinding against her slightly. "I think we could make that work if we absolutely have to."

xOx

At 9:13, Joseph had Clarisse against the door, kissing every inch of her face with short kisses as if he were mapping it with his lips.

She was laughing and trying to push him away.

"Knock it off…you'll see me in an hour at the most. You have to go before they see!"

"Okay…okay…" He grinned at her, placing one gentle kiss on her lips. "I love you."

"And I love you" She smiled, pushing him out the door. "Now get out." She winked and shut the door behind him.

Joseph started down the hall, looking around to see who was watching. Wearing the same clothes from last night, he was embarrassed to see the guards.

But he would take any amount of embarrassment in exchange for what he had just experienced.

He had finally been able to wake up with the love of his life, as he had dreamed of doing ever since he entered the walls of the palace.

She was opening to him, and trusting him. She wanted to marry him.

All of his life, he felt, had been leading up to the moment she accepted that ring. He was fully aware that it could take 10 years for her to finally step up to that alter, but the possibility was there where it had not been before. He straightened his shirt when he heard footsteps round the corner.

"Oh, good morning, Joe." Charlotte smiled at him and then realized the direction he was travelling.

"Good morning, Charlotte." He tried to sound normal, but he watched her eyes widen.

"Just leaving?" she wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"Not a word, Charlotte. Her majesty will personally have us both killed. Hell, she may even brandish the knife. " Joseph shuddered. It was strictly the lack of privacy that was keeping him from making a nightly appearance in her majesty's bed.

"Sorry. I'm just glad that you two are okay." She said sincerely.

"More than okay." Joseph corrected, winking. Charlotte winced.

"Joe!" She acted offended, but secretly she was thrilled that they were together again. Now she had the very difficult and unwelcomed task of getting the picture out of her mind.


End file.
